Home Care in Wake Forest NC
Living at home can be great for an elderly adult’s health and wellbeing. Being in a familiar place can bring comfort and even promote healing after an injury or illness. Many elderly adults thrive 
when living at home with the help of a caregiver or home care aide. However, when elderly adults live at home alone, it can sometimes bring about feelings of loneliness and isolation. Of course, caregivers and home care aides can help by visiting and spending time with them, but when that isn’t enough, caregivers will need to find more effective solutions. One way that many elderly adults have beaten loneliness and isolation is by adopting a pet. Pets can provide companionship and friendship and bring joy to an elderly adult’s life. If your elderly loved one has expressed an interest in and is capable of taking care of a pet, helping them to adopt a pet is definitely something to consider. April 30th is Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, a great day for elderly adults and their caregivers to look into adopting a pet from a local shelter. Shelters are often overcrowded with pets who are in need of loving, caring people to adopt them. If you and your elderly loved one are interested in adopting a shelter pet, here are a few tips to help you get started:
Visit First
If adopting a pet is on your loved one’s mind, take a trip to your local shelter just to visit and meet some of the animals. Getting acquainted with several of the pets at the shelter may be a great way to narrow down what type of pet (dog, cat, rabbit, young, senior, etc.) would be best for your loved one.
Ask Questions
When your loved one has selected a pet that they would like to consider adopting, be sure to have a list of questions ready for the shelter staff. It is a great idea to ask about the animal’s past, why it is at the shelter, and if it has any medical needs. In addition, you may want to ask questions about the breed, grooming, and general care for the pet.
Ask About Senior Programs
Oftentimes, shelters will have programs that encourage elderly adults to adopt senior animals. Shelter staff may be able to provide help with finding your elderly loved one their perfect pet “match” or even waive adoption fees. There are many benefits for elderly adults to owning a senior pet, be sure to ask your shelter staff all about them!
